Three Little Words
by Mystery of the Emblem
Summary: Prince Xander has finally come to the realization that the feelings he's felt? It's love. But will he be able to confess them?


**I could not sleep last night, and I talked myself into writing this. I have wanted to do a full length Revelation fic with my OC, Aleda, and I realized that once starting it, she and Xander are already engaged, so I felt like I needed to do this.**

 **If I do decide to share that one, a few things are stopping me including the kids, I don't know who all I want, and which parents I want to give them. Other than Caeldori's parents, I would actually be open to suggestions.**

 **Finally, this has a few Xander headcanons in my mind, so I hope you guys enjoy.**

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The Nohrian army was returning to Nohr after the latest skirmish between them and their neighboring country of Hoshido. At the time, the army was on the border of the two countries, closer to Nohr than Hoshido. There was enough daylight to go further, but the young princess, Elise, was growing tired. Prince Xander ordered a halt and told everyone to make camp.

"Thanks, Xander," Elise said with a smile. "We can go further. I know you won't want to camp this close to Hoshido."

He reached over and patted his little sister on the shoulder. "Think nothing of it, Elise. We are nowhere near Mokushu, and the Hoshidan army has not been sighted for days. You need to rest. I think we all do."

Elise yawned and nodded in agreement. Xander turned her over to her retainers, Arthur and Effie. For a moment, he thought of putting up her tent himself, the two in charge of his sister were more likely to destroy it than set it up, but he had things to attend to himself.

His own retainers were not nearly as hopeless, though they seemed to be quarreling about something. As he drew closer to them, he watched Laslow, who held one of his bags, say something to Peri, who violently shook her head, sending her pigtails bouncing every which way. He thought of breaking up their argument, but Laslow spotted him at that moment.

"Ah, sorry you had to see that, Your Grace. Peri and I disagree over where to put your tent. I thought you would want it here, Peri seems to think you would want it in the shade."

Xander suppressed the urge to smile. "I do not care where you put it, just have it up by the time I return."

He stepped between them as he left, but before he went too far, Peri asked, "Where you going, Prince Xander?"

He looked over his shoulder at the two of them. "Just a walk," he said.

The two of them exchanged looks of curiosity as he walked off. The items they held clattered to the ground as they made a mutual decision. They watched for a moment longer, and then hurried quickly and quietly after their prince.

Though he was not lying to them, as Xander actually had to go for a walk, he also wanted to find someone. There was a young woman in the army, one who had been on his mind for a long time now. At long last, during a sleepless night before this mission had even been passed down to him by his father, Xander had come to a decision. And now was the best chance to find her.

It was on the outskirts of camp that he did just that. She was sitting on a fallen log, restringing the silver bow she used in battle. Being one of the few archers in Nohr was enough to be of note, but it had taken a lot of thought to realize that ever since he had met her after she saved Elise during a skirmish with Hoshido, he had been enamored with her. The feeling was so new to him that it had taken so long to work through.

"Aleda?"

"Prince Xander! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He smiled at that, a genuine, warm smile. "I just wanted a word with you."

She pulled at the string of her bow and seemed satisfied with it. She rose to her feet and slung it over her back. "I hope I can help."

"I'm sure you can," he said. "Will you walk with me?"

She nodded. The two of them walked in silence for a while as the sun started to sink in the sky. He would glance to her from time to time. Now that he had decided to say something, the words were just not coming.

When he sighed, she stopped. She looked up at him, and he down. She was small, barely coming up to the middle of his chest. "Is it that bad?" she asked.

"No, I just... every since I was a child, I have had issues with being nervous." He could feel his cheeks growing warm. OF all the things he had meant to say to her, _that_ was not one of them.

"You? Really? But you seem so confident, Prince Xander!"

"I guess I'm good at playing that part." He cleared his throat nervously. Why was it so difficult to say _three little words?!_

She moved her hand suddenly, almost as thought she was going to place it on his arm, but she pulled back. "Don't rush it, whatever you have to say. We can keep walking."

He nodded and they continued along the path.

His mind began to race. The first time Xander saw her, she had returned Elise to him personally. Elise had fallen from her horse and Aleda had pulled her onto hers. That had surprised him, though he admitted to no one but himself that, had it been anyone but Elise, Aleda would not have been able to lift her onto the horse. He and his siblings had been distressed, as no one had seen any sign of Elise after her fall until she was brought back to them. There was something about her that nagged at Xander. As introductions were made, from a bubbly Elise, he felt he knew her from somewhere else.

But he had never asked. It seemed almost rude to him.

Maybe that was it, though. Maybe he should start from the beginning.

"Aleda, when you saved my sister - " He stopped suddenly and looked over his shoulder. Aleda reached for her bow, but he stopped her. He bent and picked up a rock and hurled it into the trees. "Must have been an animal," he said. The two shared a nervous laugh.

"About your sister, the four of you have thanked me more than enough." She smiled, her large blue eyes seemed to sparkle. "Having grown up in a place like Birch House, and now being in the Nohrian army is a lot more than I ever could have expected. Saving a princess? I guess that was a bonus."

"Wait... you grew up in Birch House?" He smiled because it had all clicked into place for him. Birch House had been almost like an orphanage, children were raised there and taught skills enough to survive as adults. He had gone once with his father, as word reached King Garon about some shady business from within. " _That's_ where I know you from!"

"Yes... I remember now! We were told to be on our best behavior, or else, because the king was coming."

He chuckled. He could feel himself relaxing. "Yes, you stood out to me because your bow was almost as big as you."

The two of them continued to laugh. From the bushes they were observed by Laslow and Peri. They could not hear what was being said, but Peri smiled. "I've never seen Prince Xander this happy," she whispered to Laslow.

"Nor have I, though you've known him longer than me." Laslow, who had narrowly been missed by that rock, was torn between going to camp and staying to make sure Xander would be all right.

"It's so cute, Laslow. I think he's in love!"

"Then perhaps we should go back to camp...?"

"But what if Hoshidan ninjas are out here? We wouldn't want His Grace to get attacked."

Laslow sighed. He liked Peri, and he enjoyed working with her, but sometimes she scared him. She seemed almost eager to kill a ninja or two. "As quick as Aleda was on her bow, I think he'll be fine."

Peri slipped ahead as their prince and Aleda continued to walk. Laslow groaned and dashed after her. He would not let her ruin whatever Prince Xander had in mind.

"I hope you can forgive me," Xander was saying. "This is... something new for me."

"What would that be? I don't bite, though I might put an arrow in you."

"Not me, personally, I hope?"

"No, never you!"

They had stopped again, this time near the remains of a long fallen fort. They were far from camp, and Xander knew someone must be looking for them, but at that moment, he did not care. "My whole life, I had expectations from my father. I always assumed that some sort of marriage would be arranged for me. And so far, it has not come."

That gave him her complete attention. "Prince Xander..." she began slowly. She timidly brushed a strand of pale pink hair from her face as she glanced up at him.

With a sigh and a nervous shuffle, he said, "What I'm trying to say is - " A sudden movement behind a crumbling wall caught his attention. This time he caught sight of grey hair and blue and pink pigtails. " _Laslow! Peri!"_

"We didn't want you to get attacked by Hoshidans," Peri began sweetly as she peered out from behind the rubble.

" _You_ were the one worried about ninjas," Laslow began. He chose to stay somewhat safe and remain fully behind the broken wall.

"You followed me," Peri said sweetly and punctuated her sentence with a tiny, squeaky laugh.

Xander scowled in their direction. "Get back to camp," he said, his tone icy, "and I won't skin the both of you."

"Right away, Your Grace!" Peri said before she turned and raced back in the direction of camp. Laslow was quick to follow her, bemoaning the fact that he did not wish to lose his skin.

"Well..." Aleda said. Her lips twitched as she fought a bout of giggles. "At least I know you're safe. I don't think those two would allow anything to happen to you, Your Grace."

Xander, angry that the mood had been soured by those two, softened. "You don't have to keep up the formalities with me, Aleda. Especially if I ever get out what I want to say."

She nodded, but thought that it would be hard to drop formalities. Her heart had been racing, and the comedic scene between prince and retainers had calmed her slightly. _This can't be real,_ she thought. _I'm either dreaming, or I died in battle. How could Xander, Crown Prince of Nohr, pay any mind to me?_ She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She had marched with their army, had fought for her country, and had given the prince a few glances from time to time. She had even shared a few meals with the royal family, mostly due to Elise's insisting. But the idea of the crown prince being in love with her? That was just a dream!

Wasn't it?

"I've always been so focused on my duties," Xander murmured. "I never expected to fall in love. Thank you for unlocking my heart." The words had burst forth from somewhere within, but as soon as he said them, they were right. "Aleda..." He cupped her chin lightly in his hand and tilted his head up. "I love you."

Aleda blushed, but she was not the only one. Xander's cheeks were flushed a deep pink as well. The two of them stood that way for a moment, neither daring to move.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice nearly inaudible. "I have for a long time. But I only ever thought it would be a silly crush from afar. As soon as I met you in your tent after that battle in Hoshido... I always thought perhaps there would be a chance, but that I was being naive. Never, in my wildest of dreams, could I ever thought you would feel the same." She let out a small giggle and added, "I suppose I could be dreaming, right?"

"Maybe we both are."

With a smile, Aleda stood on her toes. Xander still had to bend to reach her. She had meant to plant a kiss on his cheek but he turned and their lips met. Their kiss was soft and long, neither wanted to pull away. "It doesn't feel like a dream."

"No, you're right. It certainly doesn't."

"But if it is, I hope I never wake."


End file.
